


(Love)Bug Hunting

by NeekQueen



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Animal Crossing References, Animal crossing AU, Blathers!Shiro, Entomologist!Keith, Gay Disaster Shiro (Voltron), Isabelle!Allura, M/M, Mutual Pining, New Horizons, New Horizons AU, SHEITH - Freeform, Tom Nook!Coran
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:41:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24857800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeekQueen/pseuds/NeekQueen
Summary: Dr. Keith Kogane is an entomologist who's just lost his job at the aquarium. Fortunately enough, his best friend recently moved to a deserted island, and has been trying to convince him to join her under the premise that the man who runs the museum is terrified of bugs, and needs an entomologist's help to run that section of the place. It may be an added perk that the guy who runs the museum is exactly Keith's type, and just as single as Keith.This is an ACNH AU inspired by several people. I'm not 100% sure the rating will stay as is, but I do know that there's gonna be a nice helping of mutual pining and mutual gay disasters.
Relationships: Keith & Romelle (Voltron), Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Matt Holt & Shiro, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter One

If you had asked Keith what he’d be doing with his life at twenty-six, moving to a previously deserted island would have been the last answer he’d given you. Hell, moving at all hadn’t been in his plans whatsoever. He liked where he lived. It wasn’t the same town he grew up in, but it was close enough that he could go and visit his parents twice a month without worrying about gas or anything like that. He was fairly confident that he’d spend all of his twenties here, before making a big life change at or around thirty.

Well, Fate, it seemed, had different ideas about what  _ around thirty  _ meant.

It had all started when he’d been laid off from his job as a research assistant with the entomology department at the city’s aquarium. He absolutely despised fish (due to an incident at the same aquarium he ended up working at), and seeing as how he’d been weirdly fascinated with bugs since he was little, entomology seemed like a great idea. 

Some people had tried to tell him that there wasn’t any money in ‘researching bugs’, but he really didn’t care for material wealth. He and his parents had always been comfortable, but never overly wealthy. They never spoiled him, but they did make sure that he was never in serious want of something. They had also been tireless in their efforts to make sure that Keith could go and do whatever it was that his heart desired, barring legality. He’d never had to worry about money, whether that was having too much or too little. 

That said, it was nice that he thought he had enough saved to make this new plan happen. His friend, Romelle, was the one who had gotten him to consider it. She was a substantially known fashion designer and had regularly sold clothes online. Recently, though, she'd heard of an opportunity to open a physical store through a friend. So she packed up and moved to what _ used to be _ a deserted island. The website was still up, but shipping times (and prices) had greatly increased in order to compensate for the air mail that Romelle had to use. Even with that, she loved it, and constantly told Keith about how much fun she had. The other residents on the island were very nice, according to her, and almost immediately made her feel welcome. She had even developed a way for residents on the island to display their own designs if they so wished. 

They video called at least once a week, and in every conversation, she tried at least once to get Keith to join her. She made it clear that she thought he was overworked and undervalued at the aquarium, especially since he was one of only TWO people to have an entomology degree that worked in the insect department. She constantly told him about a new museum on the island that was run by one person: a man by the name of Shiro that had a more nocturnal schedule than most. 

“He’s accepting donations from everyone on the island, but from what Allura tells me about him, he’s  _ terrified _ of bugs. He refuses to look for them himself. The residents who do donate tell me that every time they hand him one, even though it’s in a locked container, he starts shaking like a leaf and practically begs them not to ask for facts about the critter they just handed him. It’s a bit strange, but I’m also terrified of bugs, so I get where he’s coming from.

“Anyways, having you here would be a help. You could accept all the insects for him and handle and care for them. I’m sure he’d be super grateful.”

Keith sighed. “Romi, I appreciate you thinking about me, but I am still happily employed, and as long as that’s going on, packing up my entire life and moving to an island that  _ used to be deserted  _ is not happening.”

“Technically,” she said, holding up a finger. “All islands were once deserted.” 

“Not the point.” 

A month later, when Keith was laid off from the aquarium (“It has come to our attention that we already have a person with an entomology degree in our employ. There is no need for two. I’m sorry, we no longer require your services.”), Romelle took it as a sign that Keith needed to move out to where she was.

“It’s perfect! People have stopped bringing in bugs to Shiro. The last potential donations he had were all things he’s already accepted specimens of. No one is willing to go out and do some  _ real _ bug hunting. We pretty much need you here.” She had a smug look on her face, obviously patting herself on the back for such a great argument.

Keith, however, was thinking about the more serious details. 

“How am I even supposed to start the process? Who do I contact? What do I bring?” It sounded nice, being close to his best friend again. But, it also sounded like a lot of work (and money). 

“Don’t worry, I’ve already talked to Allura and Coran about it. There’s an open house plot here that no one has claimed yet. Coran should be emailing you the files today.”

“Okay. Thanks for that, I guess. But what about money?” Keith knew how much houses cost here in Arizona. He wouldn’t be able to afford it if they cost the same on that island.

“Oh! Coran has a lot of friends in different industries, so he was able to negotiate much lower rates for all the construction stuff. It’s $75,000 total, move and flight included.”

Keith couldn’t stop the look of surprise that crossed his face. That amount would only decrease his savings by half. (He had a nice rainy day fund, okay?) He could easily afford to do this. 

“Really?” He tried not to sound too surprised, but by the amused look on Romelle’s face, he failed. “In that case, I guess I’m moving to- what did you say the island was called again?” 

“Altea,” Romelle answered. “Hurry and finish those papers and send whatever documents Coran needs. Now that you’ve  _ finally _ decided to join me, I just can’t wait for you to be here! I’m so excited!”

“Whoa, Romi. Slow down a bit. It’s not like I’m gonna be hopping on a plane tomorrow to an island in the middle of the ocean. They still need to finish building my new place, and I need to tie up loose ends here. I can’t just leave Mom and Pop here without telling them anything. They’ll kill me.” 

Keith’s mother, Krolia, was her own sort of terrifying. Keith inherited almost all of his physical features from her, yet somehow she invoked more fear into everyone that crossed her, or thought about crossing her. She had left to go fight in the war against the Galra, despite being of Galran heritage herself, while Keith and his dad stayed home, as Keith was too young and his father’s lungs weren’t strong enough to clear his physical for the draft. Years of being a firefighter had taken their toll, but he and Krolia agreed that it was best for at least one parent to be at home to raise their son. 

When she returned, a little before Keith turned 14, suddenly a lot made sense to him. Why his classmates shied away from him more often than not. Why the folks in town would back down from a fight or argument with his Pop the second his mother was mentioned. She was mesmerizing, yet fierce, and sharper than a knife. The few times that Keith had upset her alone were enough to remind him of the frightening power she possessed. But he knew that she loved him. 

Keith’s father, Tex, was the strong and silent type. As Keith grew, Tex never really raised his voice at Keith, nor did he let much emotion show on his face. He had been a firefighter for years, following in his own father’s footsteps, until Keith had turned 6. During a call, Tex had fallen through the floor of a burning building, attempting to pull out a victim that had already passed. Though he made it out alive, he knew that he couldn’t risk something like again. The thought of having his son become a ward of the state and moved from foster home to foster home was something he didn’t like to think about. Plus, he knew that his wife would never forgive him.

So once he had healed up, he retired from firefighting. Keith sometimes felt that he had cost his father his job, but Tex never let him think about that for too long. He did all he could to inspire and encourage Keith to listen to his heart and do what he enjoyed. Keith loved his father for it, and made sure to excel in everything he did to pay him back for sacrificing his calling so Keith could grow up with his family. 

“Listen,” Keith started. “I’ll finish the paperwork and send it back by tonight, then I’ll swing by my parents’ house within two days. I have a feeling that Coran doesn’t like waiting too long for things to be taken care of.” Keith took a glance at the clock on his laptop screen before a ping caught his attention. An email from a  _ Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe _ , along with several attachments, appeared in his inbox. 

“You’d be right. One day, I was merely entertaining the thought of opening a real shop, the next, I was signing my name on the deed to a new property on Altea. Well, I’ll leave you to it, then. Let me know if you have any questions! Bye!” Romelle flashed a bright smile and waved, before ending the call.

Keith let out another sigh and rubbed at his face before opening the attachments that Coran had sent. 


	2. Chapter Two

Keith stepped out of the plane and onto a sturdy wooden deck. The pilot, a woman named Acxa, was speaking into a microphone while unbuckling her seatbelt behind him. 

“Can you send Zethrid out here with a cart? … I told you we had a new resident moving in today. You’d better hope Lotor remembered at least.” 

When Keith turned back to look at her in confusion, she simply offered him a nonchalant shrug, and explained that the other two people that worked at the airport had forgotten about his arrival today. 

“They’re a pair of useless lesbians, I swear.” 

“That’d better not be me you’re talking about.” A woman broader and taller than Keith had appeared on the deck, pushing a flatbed cart. 

“You and Ezor are the only two lesbians on this island that are a couple. There’s literally no one else who falls into that category.” Acxa brushed a hair out of her face before moving to the plane’s cargo hold and opening it up. Keith immediately jumped to unload his own luggage, instead of making Zethrid handle it. It was his own personal rule, to never let anyone else do manual labor he could easily pull off himself. Better to inconvenience himself than others. 

After taking care of redoing his passport to mark him as a resident of Altea, and being told of the different services that the airport offered, Keith exited the airport and ran into a man with a regal aura and long silvery hair. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. Kogane. My name is Lotor, and I am the Resident Representative of Altea.” Lotor spoke in the same tone as one might hear a pre-recorded greeting on an answering machine. “I have been asked to lead you to your new home, then to the Resident Services building, so that you may get the necessary final touches included in your relocation package.” 

“Uh, nice to meet you, Lotor. And thanks for the help.” Keith held out his hand to properly greet the man, but Lotor simply looked him up and down before turning around and walking towards what looked to be the main plaza. 

“Well, alright then.” Keith pushed his cart and followed the man. 

The island was big enough that the residential area felt separate from everything else. Each house had its own space as well. A fence enclosed the plot of land each house sat on, and both the fences and houses varied by plot. There was personality to the houses, and it was easy to get a sense of what type of person lived in each house based on the colors it was painted and the fence that enclosed it. 

Keith’s house was more of a blank canvas. A white roof and light beige brick on the front, with white siding wrapped around the rest. He made a mental note to talk to whoever it was he had to to customize the exterior to something a bit more pleasing for him to look at. 

“Here we are, Mr. Kogane.” Lotor sighed. He spoke as if he were an older sibling, stuck babysitting the younger kids. Your new home has four rooms on the first floor, as well as the master bedroom and bathroom on the second floor, and a basement. The items you sent along before you are either placed in the main room, or upstairs in the master as designated by the information on the boxes. All customization options for the interior can be handled at The Garrison’s Cranny, run by the Holts. Exterior customization will be handled by Coran. Any questions?” 

“Uh, yeah, just one. Do I bring the cart back to the airport when I’m done unloading?” 

Lotor looked a bit surprised by the fact that Keith wasn’t going to ask anything else, or why the boxes weren’t separated into different rooms, save for his bedroom stuff. But, after a moment, he cleared his throat and resumed with his usual air of regality.

“You don’t have to. If you leave it at the entrance to the, ah, neighborhood, Zethrid and Ezor will stop by to grab it. Besides, you probably won’t have the time to return it so soon. You’re needed at the Resident Services building.” 

“Right. That’s the one with the Altean flag outside it, yeah?” 

“Correct. If you know that, then you probably don;t need me to hang around now, do you?” 

Keith almost blushed. Was he really being so obvious that even this guy could guess he was anti-social? He flashed Lotor a wan smile. 

“You don’t have to stay, no.”

“Wonderful. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Kogane. I hope to see you around often.” Despite his politeness, it was obvious that Lotor despised his position, and hardly believed a word of what he said. Regardless, Keith was thankful he didn’t have to hunt down his place like he did in college. 

After two hours of unloading and moving boxes into what felt like the correct rooms, Keith decided to take a break and head over to the Resident Services building. He stopped at the entrance to the residential area to leave the cart before continuing on his journey to the plaza. This time, he took care to note the different buildings that occupied the space. There was The Garrison’s Cranny, which Lotor had mentioned earlier. It was longer than it was wide, but somehow Keith knew that it probably had anything and everything he’d need in the next few days.

Next to that sat what looked to be a large market stall, with a sign advertising flowers, saplings, and various bush starters. The older woman operating the stall looked a bit bored, her chin resting in her hand and her eyes focused on her phone screen. He tried not to stare too hard, lest she look up and catch him. 

Past that were a few vending machines and benches, which really seemed like more of an afterthought to make the space more welcoming to residents and visitors, as it sat next to the largest building in the plaza. The Resident Services building was easily identifiable, even without the sign designating it as such. A large Altean flag flapped in the breeze slightly next to and in front of it’s right side, while another, smaller version sat atop the bell tower at the top of the building. 

As he entered, he saw that the interior had been decorated in light blues and whites, with pink accents everywhere. In the middle of the room sat a desk that spanned from wall to wall, blocking access to its other side. Two people sat at small computer desks that faced each other, each furiously typing away and hardly paying attention to anything happening outside of the screens. One being a man with extremely red hair and a very … well- maintained mustache. The other was a woman with long hair that was the same color as Lotor’s, but had much more volume and length to it. Keith stood there, trying to be as least inconvenient as possible, before noticing a bell with a note underneath that read,  _ Please ring for service.  _ Even with his aversion to causing inconveniences for other people, he had been waiting for almost ten minutes. And, according to several people he had already talked to, he needed to speak with Coran to finish his move-in duties. 

So, with a silent hope that the bell wasn’t glaringly loud, he gave it tap, and winced at the noise. Meanwhile, both the man and woman jumped, as if pulled from the trance they had been in. 

“Oh my! I hope you haven’t been standing there long. I must have lost track of time. Welcome to the Resident Services building! I’m Allura, in charge of day-to-day duties and residential life on the island.” The woman was the first to speak, giving a slight bow and a big smile. 

The man beside her came around through the gate and held out his hand. 

“I’m Coran, the one you’ve been in contact with during your move here to Altea. You must be the one and only Mr. Kogane, am I correct?”

Keith shook his head and Coran's hand in reply. “Uh, yes. I was told that there were some final things I had to take care of regarding my move here?”

“Ah, of course! I need to give you your communicator, as well as tell you a few things about life here.” Allura passed a small circular device to Coran, who appeared to press some hidden buttons on it. “Hold still, please. The device will scan you and input your scan into its database. It will be registered to you and only you, and will be how you can contact us or the shops and museum, as well as the airport and a few other things.” 

Keith stood stock still as a light projected from the communicator and scanned him. After that, Coran passed it to him and showed him its basic functions.

“Now, there are several shops here on the island. No doubt you passed The Garrison’s Cranny. That place is run by the Holt siblings, Matthew and Katie. However, they prefer to go by Matt and Pidge. They sell your everyday necessities, as well as furniture and decorations for your home. The Cranny is open from 8:30 am to 10:30 pm every day.

“Up next is our franchise of Vrepit Sal’s, run by our resident culinary genius, Hunk, and his partner, Shay. He thought Altea needed a good place to dine out, and we couldn’t agree more. Sal’s is open from 10:30 am to 9 pm Sunday through Thursday, and from 11:30 am to midnight on Friday and Saturdays.

“There is also the tailor shop, run by your very nice friend Romelle. I won’t go into detail about that, as I’m sure she’s told you everything about it already. Finally, the last place of interest so far would be our museum, run by a good friend of mine, Shiro. The museum is open 24/7, and Shiro takes donations of fossils, fish, artwork, and insects to put on display. 

“And,” Coran continued, “That is where you come in, my boy! Shiro is quite afraid of any and all insects, so much so that the residents here have taken pity on him and stopped bringing any new ones in for donations. When Romelle told me that she knew an entomologist, I thought that the addition of one to our museum here would be a great addition, and the best way to resume insect donations to the museum, while also sparing poor Shiro the trouble.” 

“We really do appreciate you moving here, Keith.” Allura piped up from her place behind the desk. Some of the insects here and around here seem quite dangerous, and we weren’t too sure on the best approach to handling them. Having a certified entomologist would be a nice leg up.”

“It’s no problem. I guess I needed a fresh start, anyways.” 

“Wonderful. Now, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time as is. However, there are a few things I’d like to mention about weekly life that goes on.” Coran pulled up what looked to be a table of contents almost. “Every Monday, Colleen Holt has a sale on the flowers and other plants that aren’t doing 100%. She runs the botany stand you probably passed on your way here. Tuesday is mail day, when all of the mail coming in from outside of the island is dropped off. Thursday is when Misters Kinkade and Griffin show up on the north shore of the island and sell artworks and furniture you won’t find at the cranny. Beware, though, some of the work that they sell is not genuine. Neither the Holts, nor Shiro, will accept fake artwork.

“On Fridays, Resident Services will not be open until 12 noon. This is to give Allura and I a bit of a break and some time to make sure that we are all caught up with the affairs of the island. And then on Saturdays, the wonderfully talented K.K. McClain gives a concert that starts at 7pm and lasts until 8:30.”

Keith nodded and filed away what he could remember. It was a lot of info to take in, and he would probably need a few weeks to get accustomed to the schedule on the island. Even with that, he was sure that he'd come to enjoy the routine and the people here that he hadn't met yet. 

"Thanks so much, Coran. I appreciate all you've done to help me move here." 

"Ah, my boy, it's no problem! We're glad to have you here, and I'm sure Romelle is as well. Now I'd love to stay and chat, but I have some other island matters to attend to. Sorry about that." Coran gave Keith a deep bow, then retreated back behind the desk, headed to his computer. 

"Well, if that's all, I'm going to go explore the plaza, maybe stop by the museum." Keith took a second to glance at Allura, who shook her head, then with a small wave, walked out of the building, retrieving his communicator from his pocket to pull up the map of the island. 

He knew that Romelle's shop would be open until 9:00 tonight, as she had told him on multiple occasions. Seeing as how he didn't want to impose or inconvenience her (on the chance that she was helping customers), he decided to head over to the museum. Might as well meet the man he was going to be working with. 

He found his way far easier than he had before, thanks to the map he now had. Despite it being on a cliff near the north edge of the island, the museum wasn't that far of a walk from the plaza. 

The doors to the museum were wide open and a soft yellow light spilled out onto the pathway directly in front of it. On its left side looked to be a display of different artifacts, giving a hint as to what else was inside. On the right side sat a few vending machines and a snack and coffee bar, which was currently manned by a tall man with dark hair. Even though Keith had been looking for about 2 seconds, he ended up catching the other man’s eye, who gave a slight wave in greeting. 

“Hey. I’m guessing you’re the new bug guy?” 

Keith rolled his eyes. “The correct term is  _ entomologist, _ and yes. My name is Keith. I’m gonna go ahead and assume you’re not Shiro?” 

“Ha! As if.” The man cracked a smile. “The name’s Griffin. James Griffin. I only work the stand. Shiro is inside. The tallest and buffest man you’ll probably ever meet. Can’t miss him.” 

“Thanks.” He gave a nod and raised his hand towards James in a goodbye before turning and entering the museum.

Now, Romelle had described the museum as ‘the fanciest place on the island”, and “awe-inspiring”. But that had failed to set Keith up for what it actually looked like. 

He was taken aback at how formal just the entry was, with velvet carpet-lined stairs, stone benches with cushy velvet cushions on top dotted around the foyer, and a black marble floor that made every footstep echo off the walls. As elegant and ostentatious as he found it to be, he did appreciate it. An upkeeped, nice looking museum drew in more visitors, which led to the continuous decision that the museum was a necessary cultural establishment, which led to more funding and allowed for more research. 

Keith found himself lost in thought as he marveled at the size and design of the museum’s interior, and would have run into someone, had they not spoken up and broken him out of his trance.

“Hey! Watch out!” 

He flinched and hastily backtracked a few steps. “I guess I got sidetracked looking at the opulence of this place. Do you know where I can find a man named Shiro?”

The question had barely left his mouth before he met eyes with the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. Easily over six feet tall, with warm gray eyes and a smile to match.

“Uh, th-that’s me, actually.” Shiro cleared his throat. “How can I be of assistance?”

Keith just stared back at him, voice lost, and words dead in his throat. This was the man he was supposed to work with? How did they expect him to get any work done? How did they expect him to function?  


“Um, are you alright?” 

He gave a weak, pitchy chuckle. "Just peachy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: @neekqueen1


	3. Chapter Three

"You never told me he was hot!" 

Keith was in Romelle's apartment, above the tailor shop, nursing a beer and trying not to cringe himself out of existence.

“If I had, you would have accused me of trying to set you up, and it would have taken you so much longer to get here.” She navigated around a number of mannequins and plopped down next to him on the couch. “Now, come on, tell me what else happened.” 

Keith sighed and recounted his meeting with Shiro. 

“Just peachy.” 

“Great! Now how can I be of assistance? Although just a note, the new entomologist is supposedly moving in today, so if he stops by I’ll have to make an exit, as there are a lot of things I need to fill him in on.” 

Keith cleared his throat. “That’s me. I’m the enodomology. I mean, entomologist.”

Shiro’s jaw literally dropped. “ _ You’re  _ Dr. Kogane?” 

“Uh, yeah. I take it you were expecting some old guy reminiscent of Coran?” Keith was able to smirk at his own joke, as he was slowly getting over his initial reaction of Shiro.

Shiro started babbling to save himself, a soft blush dusting over the scar on his nose.. “Well, yes- I mean, NO. I just...I have no idea, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s fine. I did kind of excel at the subject and graduated just a bit early.” 

“Wait, how old are you?” The other man;s recovery was almost instantaneous.

“Twenty-six. You?”

“Oh! I’m twenty-nine. And while we’re on the subject of our own interests and educations, do you mind accompanying me to my office? We get a bit of an afternoon pop, and I wouldn’t want to get sidetracked and forget about you.” And with a sheepish smile and a blush blooming across the scar on his nose, he added, “Not that I could possibly forget about someone like you.” 

"DUDE! He totally likes you!!" Romelle started bouncing in her seat with increasing frequency. 

Keith tried to fight back a small blush and laughed nervously. "Shut up, Romi. I moved here for professional reasons. Not to hook up with the Adonis-like museum curator." 

"Hmmm. Does that mean you've been thinking about hooking up with him? I don't think a single person on the island would judge."

She was answered with a decorative pillow to the face.

He spent as long as he could finishing his unpacking and decorating (as well as trying not to think about what could possibly happen while working with Shiro), and although he didn't have a lot of material possessions, he was able to stretch it out over two days. Unfortunately, two days was the max, and on his fourth day as a resident of the island, he had to begin his job working alongside the hottest man he'd ever seen.

"Good morning, Keith." Shiro greeted him with a smile when he walked into the break room from the "employees only" door in the foyer.

"Uh, morning." To be honest, Keith wasn’t much of a morning person. He preferred to spend the first two hours or so sipping coffee, and mentally organizing his schedule for the day. He had done that already, but he felt like he needed another two hours to prepare himself for working with Shiro. 

Without looking back up from the book he was reading, he spoke again. "I made coffee, though I wasn't sure how you took it so I just left it in the pot. It's only 10 minutes old." 

"Oh, thanks. But, for future reference, a mug of black coffee is perfectly fine with me." He tried to make it sound cooler than it was, and evidently it worked, as Shiro glanced at him in disbelief. 

"No cream? No sugar? Nothing?! No offense, but that sounds disgusting." He stuck his tongue out and twisted up his face. 

"Well how do you take yours, huh?"

"I like getting it from Hunk, cause he puts vanilla and caramel and whipped cream on top of the smoothest macchiato you'll ever have. When I make it myself, I just add enough sugar and french vanilla cream to not actually taste the coffee itself.” Shiro chuckles, seemingly to himself. 

Keith makes a face. “Why even drink coffee if you’re not going to enjoy the taste?”

“The caffeine content is admirable. And it's better for you than those gross energy drinks.”

He simply nods in agreement, finally moving over to the counter to grab himself a cup of the purportedly 10 minute old coffee. 

“Oh, by the way, if you’d like to bring your own mug, you can. That cabinet on the far left is where everyone keeps theirs.”

Keith takes a second to glance up as he takes a wary sip.  _ Not too bad.  _ “Thanks.” 

Shiro flashes him a smile that makes Keith think that the time he spent preparing wasn’t anywhere near enough. 

The rest of the morning is spent learning the basic layout of the museum, as well as what his duties are going to be now that he’s settled on the island. Of course, they save Keith’s specialty for last. However, Shiro refuses to show him the insect side of the building, opting to just hand Keith a map with all the entrances and exits, emergency or otherwise, circled in red. Keith can almost feel the anxiety radiating off of him. 

“I know I’m being a bad host by doing this, but I don’t think anyone can accurately describe the abject terror I have of insects. I think you’d have an easier time navigating on your own, without having to babysit me through the whole exhibit.” 

“It’s fine. I get it. Besides, I’m the entomologist. I’d probably spend way more time in there looking at all the bugs you’ve got displayed than you’d be comfortable with. And if we’re revealing the intensity of fears, I might be able to match you with my fear of fish.” Keith isn’t sure why he finds it so easy to reveal it to Shiro, it just is. The man radiates this calm, trusting energy, like you could admit to a crime, and he’d take the secret to the grave. 

“You’re afraid of fish?”

“I hate them. Every last one of them. They creep me out, with their bulgy eyes and ugh, the texture of them is just awful.” 

“So you’ve touched a fish before?” The chuckle that accompanies the question shouldn’t be as attractive to Keith as it is. 

He’s on the verge of revealing his greatest tragedy before he realizes what he’s talking about and  _ who  _ he’s talking to. It would ruin his image if he told Shiro why he was terrified of fish. He’d go from the cool entomologist saving Shiro from an early, fear-induced grave, to a ichthyophobic dork who couldn’t even touch a fish tank.

“Uh, yeah, um...you know I really appreciate the tour. I think I’m gonna go and familiarize myself with the insect exhibit. Don’t want to end up bringing duplicates if we already have a certain insect.” He starts slowly backing away towards his new destination, trying not to blush and giving Shiro a small wave. 

“Oh, yeah. I have a few things I need to take care of, too. I’ll see you later then.” 

Blessedly, Shiro turns around and starts heading back in the direction of their offices. Keith notices that the tops of the other man’s ears are a light shade of red, but he decides not to address it. What could Shiro, of all people, possibly have to be embarrassed about? 

~~~~~~~~

In the two minutes that it took Shiro to reach his office after saying good-bye to Keith, he nearly had a breakdown. That was actually a new record for him, as ever since he had met the man it had been like this. He almost always turned into a bumbling mess, and hardly acted the way a distinguished museum curator should have. 

“So let me get this straight,” Matt had said the night Shiro had met Keith. “You’ve known for well over three weeks that this man was coming to the island to help you out, and you didn’t do an inkling of research on him? You could have asked me! Or even Pidge.”

His younger sister glanced up from the laptop she was furiously typing away on. “You definitely should have asked me. If we’re being honest, I did it without you even asking. What would you like to know?”

Shiro groaned. “Come on, Katie. That’s no way to learn about a person. Besides, what if you tell me something now and I end up mentioning it to him before he tells me himself? Then I’ll look like some sort of stalker! I don’t want to ruin any chance I have with him before I know I have one!” 

“So you like the man?” Matt flashed him a shit eating grin and chuckled darkly. “My, my, what an interesting development.” 

“Well, what do you know already? Also, please don’t call me Katie.”

“His name is Keith Kogane, he’s an entomologist, and he’s 26. That’s about it, unless what he looks like is also good info.” 

“God, you only know the basics. Didn’t you talk to him for, like, a whole hour before he went home? How could you not learn anymore about him during that time?” 

“He was too busy being a gay disaster. Duh.” Matt made sure to dodge the couch cushion that came barreling for his head after that comment. “Why are you throwing shit at me? I’m right.”

“Look you two, I didn’t come here to be half insulted and offered a chance to stalk the newest resident on the island. I just wanted to tell you that maybe my love life wasn’t exactly dead.”

“And we applaud you for that,” Pidge laughed. “But do you have a plan to learn more about him? Do you have a plan to woo him?” 

Shiro faltered. “Well, no. Not yet. But, he works with me. He and I are going to share that huge office as we’re the only people working at the museum that have a doctorate. That should give me plenty of opportunities.” 

Matt sidled up next to him and threw an arm around his shoulder. “Yes, yes. Plenty of opportunities to miss and mess up because any time you meet a guy who might seem like your type, you end up looking like a tomato and babbling like an idiot.”

Shiro gaped at his best friend. “Just who’s side are you on exactly?” 

“Yours, bud. Always on yours.”

  
  


He had kept Katie from revealing anything about Keith, as he wanted to get to know the man on his own, but Matt was right. With his attraction to the man, came the absolute inability to act normal around him. There wasn’t a single question he’d thought of that didn’t make him think that it was extremely out of the blue. However, conversation with Keith was very easy. It was like they had been friends for years, and hadn’t met a few days ago. Hopefully, that would make it easier to learn about him, or Shiro was doomed. 

He spent the next two hours answering emails from both Coran and other residents about information pertaining to the museum, and worrying about Keith possibly getting lost in the insect exhibit. Despite his crush on Keith, he was certain that he wouldn’t brave the exhibit to go and save the man if he was actually lost. Before Keith had arrived, bug donations were accepted by him, but he usually asked James Griffin to go and place it in the correct spot in the exhibit. He would ask Pidge or Matt to come and catch any bugs that had attempted to make a break for it and escaped captivity. And more than once, unfortunately, when a bug had somehow gotten into the coffee mug in Shiro’s office, he took the day off and spent it under the covers in his bed at home. 

_ Yep. There is no way I’m going in to save him if he gets lost. I’ll just have to ask James. I’m not risking what little dignity I have trying and making a fool of myself.  _

Thankfully, Keith returned to the office around 11:30, with a very excited look on his face.

Shiro breathed out a sigh of relief. “Oh good. You didn’t get lost. I wasn't sure what I would do if you did.” 

“It’s all thanks to your helpful little map. I probably would have without your help. Enough about that, though. That exhibit is absolutely amazing. It’s so prepared and it looks like you took so many preparations when thinking about the insects you could possibly be displaying. The butterfly exhibit is 100% my favorite part. The fountain and the benches around it give a very peaceful environment. I love it. And I was researching what insects are indigenous to the area during different seasons and I have already developed a few plans on how to make the exhibit even better. It’s going to be- Shiro? Are you okay?”

Shiro had been enraptured at the way Keith lit up discussing the exhibit. His already pretty eyes became bigger and brighter as he spoke, and his smile got more and more pronounced. His body language was so much more inviting, and with the light from the window, he looked simply stunning. It dawned on him that Keith had asked him a question. 

“Hmm? Oh yeah, I’m fine. I, uh, didn’t want to interrupt you. You looked- er, sounded, really excited. Actually, it’s about time for lunch. Would you like to discuss it over lunch at Sal’s?” 

Keith turned red, and was about to decline when as if on cue, his stomach growled. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” 

Both of them tried their hardest to think that this  _ wasn’t _ a date.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to "first date that neither of them realize is a first date."

It had started off well enough. They left a sign up, saying that the two curators (Shiro had said that Keith was worthy of the title, as an entire section of the museum was under his discretion) had gone on lunch break, and then headed out towards the square. Keith looked everywhere but Shiro, as if trying to take in the scenery that he’d missed out on over the last few days. Shiro would have taken it personally, if he hadn’t been doing the same thing. 

He could never look at Keith for long. Those not-quite-blue, not-quite-purple eyes could make him stop moving, talking, and even thinking. He had a pretty, angular face, an impossibly tiny waist, and legs for days. It was like the universe had read his mind about the perfect man, and sent it to him in the form of an entomologist that he so desperately needed. That said, he knew that he couldn’t just pounce, like some sort of animal. As attracted as he was to Keith, he needed to figure out if he had any chance first. 

After making it to Sal’s, and a quick intro to Hunk for Keith, they sat in the far back corner of the restaurant to avoid the wandering eyes of the other island residents. 

“I’m sure they’re not  _ that  _ nosy. Although, that last new resident we had was Romelle. She’s a friend of yours, right?”

Keith chuckled. “More like a sister. She was my neighbor, and we grew up together. I really got into her good graces when I started going over to her house to catch bugs that they’d discover.”

“Sounds like something I would have appreciated when I was younger. My parents did that for a while, but after I turned around 9, they stopped, saying I was old enough to do it myself. I felt pretty betrayed.” 

Keith laughed, and after a moment, Shiro noticed the tips of his ears going pink as he cleared his throat to ask a new question. Coincidentally, Hunk stopped by and dropped off a glass of water for each of them. 

“No one else to help you after that? No siblings, or girlfriend once you got older?” He averted his gaze. 

“Uh, no. My boyfriends usually chastised me for not doing it on account of my size." Shiro looked down at the table, voice softening to a murmur. He felt ridiculous, as if he was ashamed of who he was. 

Keith snorted. "That's dumb. If I had known you back then, I’d most definitely come and capture whatever insect that chose to terrorize you.” 

Was that flirting? Shiro wasn’t sure. It had seemed that Keith initially assumed that he was straight, maybe because Keith was himself. 

“Well, 10 year old me appreciates it. Nothing better than a cute boy coming to your rescue.” The words left Shiro’s mouth before he even realized what had happened. 

Keith had been taking a sip of his drink as Shiro spoke, and began coughing and sputtering as soon as he had finished. Of course, it made Shiro mildly panic. He truly wasn't trying to kill the man before he had been able to start his job at the museum. He had just spoken without any thought, as usual. Matt was going to have a field day with this.

He felt his face heat up as he stood to give Keith a few pats on the back. Thankfully, people weren't paying then any mind, as they were in the farthest corner from others. Shiro didn't think he could take any more embarrassment. 

After a few moments (that really felt more like hours), Keith held up a hand, signaling that he was okay. Shiro felt himself relax, but his heart and mind kept racing. He began apologizing profusely as he moved to sit back down.

"It's okay, really." The other man offered a weak smile. "I just wasn't expecting you to call me cute." 

It was then that their meals arrived, and talk about Keith's attractiveness ceased. Shiro didn't know whether to be grateful or not. They instead reverted to talking about the stipulations of Keith's new position between bites. 

"You'll want to accompany residents to 'Mystery Islands'. They end up having a number of insects we don't have here on Altea."

"Really? How will I know when a resident is going to visit one?" 

"I was originally just asking them to bring a specimen back with them for the museum, but now I'm considering partnering with the airport to let us know when people are going. That way you can go with and possibly lower the amount of accidental bites and stings they're getting."

"That's not a bad idea. I have proper gloves and other equipment that isn't just a net and a little box."

Shiro laughed. "I kept telling Coran that he wasn't giving them enough safety equipment to go out there on their own. It took Pidge and Matt selling out of medicine every day for a week for Allura and I to convince him." 

"And that's when you brought your case to hire me?" 

"Kinda. We were talking about needing more protective equipment, and then Romelle came in to ask about something. When she realized what we were talking about, she brought you up." 

"That sounds exactly like Romelle. I’m guessing she was mildly successful, seeing as how Coran was talking about it when I walked into Resident Services.” 

“Well, I helped with my vocal displeasure at collecting insects.” 

“And I appreciate it,” Keith responded with a chuckle. “I wasn’t exactly a fan of working at the aquarium.”

“Really? Why not?” 

“There were two people with a PhD at that place, me and the head researcher. Seeing as I was just an assistant, and that the other guy had been there longer than me, they deemed me ‘expendable’. “

“Ouch. But for the record,  _ I  _ don’t think you’re expendable.” 

Keith gave him a toothy smile and a, “Thanks,” and Shiro realized that he’d never appreciated good oral hygiene for what it was. 

“So, what about your parents? What do they think about you being an entomologist?” 

“To be honest, they supported me throughout it. I didn’t make friends very well, and took an interest in bugs when I was in kindergarten. Mom and Dad were just happy that I wasn’t focusing on the lack of people who wanted to hang out with me. When I got through middle and high school and  _ still  _ a serious interest in insects, they helped me with my degree. The only condition was I had to come home once a semester and call once a week.” 

“That’s what most parents would ask of their kids whether they were paying for their kids’ school or not.”

“Mine aren’t all that big on physical affection. Not even with each other.” 

“Ah.” Shiro nodded in understanding. “My grandfather is like that. It’s nice that your parents believed in you so much, though, and helped you all the way through your doctorate.” 

Keith huffed a short laugh. “You’re not totally wrong, but I did feel a sense of looming guilt every time I questioned if I was truly on the right path for me.” 

“Well, if you had ever changed your mind, you probably wouldn’ be sitting here across from me.” 

“I guess I chose the right path, then.”

And while neither man was ready to admit anything to each other or themselves, it was clear that they got along far better than anyone could have predicted, save for Romelle. The date had started off well, and it had ended with the two of them crushing harder on each other than either of them thought possible. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thanks for being patient with. I had a lot of stuff some up after I finished chapter three, and then suffered from some serious executive dysfunction. Nevertheless, I have finished this chapter and have a new one in the works. Thanks again! 
> 
> Come yell with me on Twitter! @neekqueen1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!   
> Follow me on Twitter: @neekqueen1
> 
> Inspired by a convo I had on Twitter with @yawarakaiarts and @lylphefia


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